Can someone please clarify something for me regarding Cargo Holds.

There are three options listed for Cargo Holds in the Core Rulebook: The Main Cargo Hold, the Cargo Hold and Lighter Bay, and the Compartmentalised Cargo Hold.

Now, I understand that the Main Cargo Hold can only be installed in Transport class vessels. It is obviously superior for transporting cargo due to the larger bonus granted towards Trade endeavours.

The Cargo Hold and Lighter Bay and the Compartmentalisd Cargo Hold are the only option for all other classes of vessels. I wanted to clarrify the differences between these two components.

Is the basic difference between these two components the fact that one is all lumped togetehr in a single hold and poorly integrated (affects handling) while the other is broken into a series of smaller holds throughout the ship and thus better integrated into the ship's structure (no handling difference). The Compartmentalised Hold takes more Space and Power, which I assume is due to inefficiencies in storage room caused by breaking it up throughout the vessel.

Does that sound a fair assumption on the difference between them?

Also, do the other two holds (Main Cargo Hold and Compartmentalised Hold) include Lighter Bays? Battlefleet Koronus implies yes for all cargo components, but the names are highly missleading in this case. Shouldn't the "Cargo Hold and Lighter Bay" just be called "Cargo Bay".

From one GM to another, Rogue Trader is made to be open for GM and player interpretation.  As for my groups perspective on Cargo Hold and Lighter Bay's, since it also gave Trade or Criminal achievement points, we decided that it was a small bay with small fast freighters to quickly unload and load items.  Loading bigger items took more time, but was also possible.  The Cargo Hold was just your basic hauler for massive amounts of huge items.  The Compartmentalised Cargo, for us, was just like you said.  It stored the same mass of items though not necessarily the same size, and placed them in separate compartments to keep cargo safer from depressurization, fire, combat, and/or rodent infestation.  It was considered more of a pain to load, but safer overall.

As for freight lifters and shuttle craft, we just used the same guidelines listed on pg 11 BFK.  Bigger Cargo Holds meant bigger freight craft, not necessarily more.  GM discretion is advised.  Hope this helps.

P.S.  In Into the Storm they have another Cargo Hold called "Shadowblind Bays," more geared toward Criminal Endavours though.  I recommended the book as a must have for any RT GM as it has a plethora of other components, gear, careers, and information.

Nameless2all said:

There is also a ship upgrade called Distributed Cargoholds in Hostile Acquisitions that allows you to modify an existing cargo bay component to be spread out amongst the ship - thus allowing for multiple lighter bays etc.

Hey all, I have a cargo question as well, possibly a stupid one. Do you need a cargo hold in order to haul cargo? I'm starting a game up and my players just designed their ship a few days ago, but didn't want to spend the points on purchasing a cargo hold. We had some spirited debate around the topic, and I finally ruled that since the description for the cargo bays simply said that they granted a bonus to trade objectives, that they weren't strictly necessary to haul cargo. From the rules, is this correct? Did I miss something anywhere?

Thanks!

Choronodon said:

Yes and no.  IMO, you need a Cargo Hold to haul vast amounts of cargo and/or large items to conduct Trade Endeavors.  But all ships have to have small little cargo holds/areas that they use to store food supplies, extra materials for minor hull breaches, minor components for needed for repairs, excess equipment, shuttle craft, etc.  Obviously these little areas can be used to store some cargo/loot you acquire, but not on a massive scale needed to conduct Trade Endeavors and the like.  GM discretion is advised. 

Thanks.  I am a player in Choronodon's game.  Any GM probably has to have the patience of a saint to put up with our group and :D me in particular.  Our current finalists for ships all seem to have cargo bays now, except for one submission that is probably not to be taken seriously.

I am very much looking forward to the game.  I haven't played a Sci-Fi pen-and-paper RPG in what feels like ages.  Like, since Gamma World or Traveller in the early 80s…  It is about time to give it a go again!

Arachnos said:

Have fun Arachnos.  And I wish upon you and your crew many fruitful endeavors (although they might not always be profitable :)